Dutch Village Apts Recovering From EF1 Tornado

BALTIMORE (WJZ)--We now know it certainly was a tornado that caused damage across Northeast Baltimore.

Some areas look like an absolute war zone. The EF1 tornado ripped the roof off several buildings at Dutch Village Apartments. The neighborhood is still a long way from recovering.

Andrea Fujii caught up with some people overwhelmed by the whole experience.

Wednesday morning's tornado took the Northeast Baltimore neighborhood and turned it upside down. Roofs flew in the air and massive trees were torn from the ground.

Thursday was the first night back home for some after Dutch Village Apartments was evacuated.

The Gilyards have lost thousands in furniture, clothes and electronics.

"Everything is in the dumpster," said Shakia Gilyard before pointing to a pile of belongings on a couch. "This is all we have left of our living room."

"All we have is a board, and they want us to stay here with it boarded up like this," she said. "I just don't feel safe, and I don't feel comfortable."

Renters at the Dutch Village Apartments are coming home to large "Xs" on their doors. That means that the gas is still off. Their apartments have been cleaned for the most part, but there is still a lot of work to do.

"Dirt, grime, glass all over everything," is how Yates Jackson describes his apartment. "All of the windows blew, so it just went straight through back and forwards."

Jackson says that workers are going quickly and he feels fine.

"The windows are boarded up," Jackson said. "The locks on the doors are fine."

But not everyone is satisfied.

Karen Brown's broken door opens to shattered windows and haunting memories.

"I had nightmares because every time I closed my eyes all I see is that storm," Brown said. "All I feel is that storm."

She still can't find her cat who was left behind.

Anyone living in one of the 16 condemned buildings had a few minutes to grab what they could.

"Mother Nature strikes," said Shirley Dean, whose apartment is condemned. "You can't control that, so when she strikes, she just strikes."

Police are still present in the neighborhood to ensure that no looting occurs.